Neil Craighead

Neil Craighead

Bass-baritone

Neil Craighead’s burgeoning career has recently taken him from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland, featured in operas by Somers, Verdi and Puccini. The tall, imposing bass-baritone’s coming season is dominated by Colline in La bohème with productions for Vancouver Opera, Canadian Opera Company and Calgary Opera. He also appears as Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte for Opéra de Québec and Don Fernando in Fidelio for Pacific Opera Victoria. Last season he sang Zuniga in Carmen for Opéra de Québec, Count Ceprano in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Rigoletto and earlier was featured in that company’s production of Louis Riel – celebrating Canada’s Sesquicentennial – with performances in Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec City. He was heard in Tapestry New Opera’s highly anticipated premiere of Oksana G, as Pietro In Simon Boccanegra for Pacific Opera Victoria and Second Armed Man in Die Zauberflöte for the Canadian Opera Company.

Recent credits include Against the Grain Theatre’s contemporary reimagining of Mozart’s Don Goivanni playing the role of Leporello. Titled #UncleJohn, the production was heard in Toronto and later toured to Ottawa’s Chamberfest. Cast as Dr. Grenvil in La traviata by Canadian Opera Company, he was heard as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte for Edmonton Opera and the roles of Somnus and Cadmus in the COC’s Semele took him to the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

An alumnus of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, Mr Craighead has appeared for the COC in Tosca, Gianni Schicchi, Ariadne auf Naxos, Die Zauberflöte, Idomeneo, Salome, Dialogues des Carmelites, La clemenza di Tito and the Robert Lepage production of The Nightingale and other Fables.

Mr. Craighead was born in Cape Town, South Africa and grew up in Calgary, where he was member of the Calgary Boys Choir. He studied voice at the Academy program of Mount Royal College and later received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Opera from the University of British Columbia. During his formative years, he attended young artist programs in Italy and Alberta and participated in tours and performances in Austria, the Czech Republic and China.

“Craighead’s Leporello has authority and charm, and McPhail, who moves with grace and ease throughout the space, has the swagger of a modern-day player. Both their voices are superb.” [Against the Grain Theatre, Uncle John]
NOW, Glenn Sumi

“Returning bass-baritone Neil Craighead gave us “Di due figli vivea” from Il Trovatore. I assume he’s understudying Russel Braun in that production. He was very assured and pleasing to listen to. The voice is much bigger and more mature than a couple of years ago.”
Opera Ramblings

“Neil Craighead was pretty much ideal as Publio. he doesn’t have the big numbers but he does need to act and make the role more than just a foil for Tito. He did this with just the right combo of humour and menace. If they remake Life of Brian he should be a shoe in.”
Opera Ramblings

“And finally the Publio – this was Neil Craighead, a comparative veteran of the Ensemble Studio. And he is clearly an immensely valuable member of the company – a rare example of a confident and assured young bass baritone.”
Brian Dickie Blog

DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE WITH OPÉRA DE QUÉBECNeil Craighead sang the role of the Speaker in Opéra de Québec’s Die Zauberflöte from July 31 through August 6, 2018. This production was Festival d’Opéra de Québec’s main presentation in 2018. festivaloperaquebec.com

RIGOLETTO AT CANADIAN OPERA COMPANYNeil Craighead sings the role of Count Ceprano Canadian Opera Company’s production of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Performances run January 20-February 23, 2018 at the Four Seasons Centre, Toronto. coc.ca

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.
Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L'an dernier, le Conseil a investi 153 millions de dollars pour mettre de l'art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.